Internal-combustion engine



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April l5 1924 E L GROSS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Patented Apr. 15, 1924.,

vUrrea sTATjEs EDWARD L. GROSS., 0F CHICAGO', ILLINOJIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGIE.

Application tiled January `19, 1920. Serial No. 352,340.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD L. GRoss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in internal-Combustion Engines, of which the followingV isa descri tion. Y

y invention belongs to thatl general class of devices known as internal combustion engines, and relates particularly to what may be termed an oscillating type of engine. The invention has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described which is simple, compact, durable, efficient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. It has particularly among its further objects the production of an engine which is a marked improvement over the present type of reciprocating engines, which will develop horsepower that will compare favorably with the reciprocating type, but in whichthe engine will be of less weight, less number of'parts, more! economical in construction, a-nd substantially free from vibration. Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or correspondingl parts, v

Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammatic view illustrating the basic principle upon which the device operates;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of. one of the types of oscillating piston;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same with a portion broken away to illustrate the valve mechanism;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a valve operating cam for one form of my invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 6 is a front view of a complete engine of the type employing the poppetvalves controlled by the cam members illus-V trated in Figures 4c and 5;

Figure 7 is a combined sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 and side elevation of the same;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 of the type equipped with the internal rotary slide valves;

Figure 9 is a combined sectional view and side elevation of the same;

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are views illustrating the movement of the rocker arm, eccentric and connecting arms as viewed from the rear of the engine.

vBefore describing the construction of the engine in detail, it might be explained that in the type of engine illustrated there is provided a drum 1 divided with partitions 2 into two chambers, and an oscillating piston member 14 provided with extending parts 15 and 15 which divide each chamber into compartments, which may be termed combustion chambers -(see Figure 1) A, B, C, and D. By admitting the combustible charges into these combustion chambers or compartments and igniting the same, causing a succession of explosions of the charges,

the piston member 14 is caused to oscillate f back and forth, that is to say, rock back and forth in the drum, the piston being operatively connected with the drive shaft in such a Vmanner that the oscillations are converted into a continuous rotary movement of the drive shaft, so that power is transmitted to drive the shaft in the desired direction.

Referring to the drawings, particularly first to Figure 1, my improved device consists primarily of what may be termed a hollow cylindrical shaped casing or drum 1, which in the construction shown'is preferably made in two parts and divided into two chambers `by means of a wall or partition 2. As shown, each part 1 is provided with a portion of the partition, the drum parts being secured together in any suitable manner, as will bev hereafter described. The drum is formed with front and back sides or covers having central circular openings. Arranged in the casing or drum is an oscillatingl member, or it may be termed a piston, which consists of a cylindrical portion 14.- having the side or endwalls or extensions 16 and extending parts 15 and 15', which are of a length to extend to and substantially contact with the inner circumference of the drum. The walls 16 are extended axially, as shown, and extend through the holes in the front and back sides of the drum or casing. As shown in Figure 7, anti-friction bearings, as shown ball-bearings, 2O may be arranged between the extending parts 16 and the walls assenso the oscillating member are arranged so as to contact with the inner circumference of the drum Vas mentioned and with the inner faces of the front and back sides. As shown, the partitions are preferably formed as at 18 so as to increase the bearing contact between the ends of the partitions and the outer face .of the member 14. In order to revent leakage of the gases past the extending parts 15, the same are provided with grooves into which fit interlocking metallic strips 13, which perform the same functions as piston rings in the pistons of a reciprocating engine. These strips may be held in Vlace in any. suitable manner. As showmt ey are held against the outer and side walls of the drum by means of springs 35, which fit into holes or recesses in the walls of the parts 15-15. Leakage of gases between the c lindrical surface of the piston part 14 an the drum artitions is prevented by the strips 13. o prevent leakage of the gases between the piston and drum covers, packing glands 23 may be provided whereby' metallic packing 22 is compressed by means of packing nut 21, thus effectively Isealing the opening between the drum covers and piston, making the engine gas tight. To prevent overheating of the walls due to the explosion of gases, the drum may be provided with a water jacket 4 through which cooling water may be circulated, 'the incoming water e11-v tering the jacket, for example through the lower opening 5', and leaving it at the upper opening 5.

In the construction shown, the drum 1, as before mentioned, is in two parts, the same being divided along its vertical diameter, so that the ends of each half are sealed by means of the wall or partition 2 2. 'The parts of the drum are held together by'means of the bolts 3 passing'through the lugs 7. By

dividing the drum mto sections, the samemay be more easily machined and assembled, and the same affords a ready access for inspection or cleaning of the interior. Obvlously the drum may be divided into an number of sections or parts desired, this being a matter of preference.

As shown in Figures 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12, a ring 11 or the equivalent is arran ed on the extension 16, thesame provide with forked arms 12-12, so that the arms oscillate through an arc of ninety degrees 'when the piston is oscillated. The arms are connected by means of connecting rods 8-8 and. links 36- 36,' which are substantially with the gears' 38-382 Gears 38 and 38 mesh with a main gear 41 mounted on a shaft 39, which may be'v cranks vconnected by pins 35 termed the main drive shaft.

Refi-,fringe Figures e and 7, the anim 1 is provided with Suitable inlet ports 60' seats by springs 51, and they are operated in substantially the same manner as the standard overhead poppet-valves employed in -various types of automobile engines through rocker arms 53. The rocker arms 53 are supported in forks 54 and arranged to be operated by tappet rods 57. The tappet rods may be provided with adjusting nutsr55, and are arranged to be actuated through /cam rollers 58 arranged to cooperate with suitable cams. AS shown (sce Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7), I provide double thrpw cams 4 4 and 45,-which are free to rotate on front andrear cylindrical extensions of the piston. Each 'pair of inlet and each pair of exhaust valves being operated by one cam, the cams are operated by the oscillating movement 0f1 the, piston extensions on which they are mounted, the cams controlling the inlet valves of compartments B and D and theirexhaus'tvalves are moved through an angle of ninety degrees each time the iston swings from left to right,.

vor (see ,direction and remain stationary during each piston swing in an anti-clockwise direction, during which stroke, however, the two cams operating inletand exhaustvalves of compartments A and C, are revolved through an angle of ninety degrees and vice versa. As shown, pawls 42 are mounted -in slots cut in the cylindrical extensions 16 of the piston and vby means of springs 41, their operating ends are held in contact with t-he inner circumference of the cams. The cams areeach provided with inwardly projecting ratchet teeth 43 spaced ninetydegrees apart, the pawls being adapated to engage with the teeth of their respective cams so that they, are operated as above described.

When the tappet rollers ride on portion 45 of their respective cams, the valves y remain closed,but Whenever cam elevations 44 pass under their respective tappets, vthe tappets are raised and the inlet valves are held *olf their seats during the respective suction stroke and the exhaust valves are similarly held during each exhaust stroke. Each cam being revolved ninety degrees once each second stroke or swing of the piston, and since the cam elevations for each valve are` one hundred and eighty degrees apart, the tappets, and consequentlv the valves, will be operated after each fourth stroke of the piston, which is the proper timing for a fourcylinder motor. Asshownin Figures 6 and 7, the piston 1s 1n a horizontal osition, having moved through an angle oFforty-five degrees in a igures 1' and 6) in a clockwise 1,49o,aso

clockwise direction, so that cylinder or compartment A is at .the center of its suction stroke, cylinder or compartment B of.its compression stroke, cylinder C of its explosion stroke, and cylinder or compartment idler surface 45 of ca m.

A carbureter of suitable .design may be connected (see Fig. 6) through suitable piping or manifolds with the intake ports 17, which communicate with the valve cham bers and thes'intake ports to the interior of the drum. The exhaust ports are similarly formed at the opposite side of the drum. As shown in Figure 7, a spa-rk plug 6 Ior the equivalent ignition mechanism, is

employed for each combustionF chamber orcompartment. v

Before describing the operation, I will describe the engine'with the sliding or rotating valves or rings in lieu of the pop et valves. Referring to Figure 8, the engme is shownl provided with internal rotating slide valves or rings, Figure 9 showing a sectionalview along the vertical diameter of the drum, or at a line of division of the right and left drum partitions with a side view of the lower half. The hollow cylindrical central portion of the piston part 14 is `divided into a front and back chamber by means of the wall 29, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 9,and provided with inlet ports 30',

which open into thefro'nt chamberof the.

piston and provided withexhaust portsor slots 30, which open into vthe back chamber, the ports or slots being staggered, as shown. Arranged inside of the piston are the rotating valves 25-25, of which the former control the exhaust ports 'and the latter the inlet ports. Each valve is provided with two pairs of slots or ports 37-37 each pair bemg one hundred and eighty degrees or onehalf a revolution apart. These valves are preferably slidably arranged on the inner peripheral wall of the piston so as to cover or uncover the ports in the iston and are operated in a manner to bek ereinafter described. The movement of the valves causes the slots in the same to intermittentlfcoin'- cide at the proper instantiwith their respective ports in the piston, thus permitting charges of air and gas vapor to be drawn through the inlet port into the combustion chamberor compartment, during the suction stroke of the piston, the same at other times elfectively closing or sealing the same. In a like manner, the slide rings'controlling the exhaust ports cause the slots or ports 37 in the piston to coincide 'with the exhaust ving or oscillation of the ports 30 at the proper instant, permitting the burned gases to be expelled during the exhaust stroke of the piston. The rotating valves or rings are operated by the swingpiston, which 1s provided with pawls 32 (see Fig. 3) fitting into a slot and so constructed that they are held against the outer circumference of the valves by means of sprin or the equivalent. The valves are provided at ninety degree intervals with countersunk depressions or teeth 33 into which the pawls engage at each ninety degree swing of the piston. Each time the piston swings through an arc of ninety degrees from left to right, the pawls 32 engageable with the recesses 33 and cause a rotating inlet valve to rotate in the same direction through an angle of ninety degrees, and each time the piston swings in the opposite direction, the pawls 32 disengage and slide over the outer circumference of the valves, which are held stationary by means of the internal locking pawls 27--28,

which are mounted upon and keyed to a sta-- tionary shaft 31, the inner circumference of the rotating valves beingA provided with ratchet teeth 34, for engagement with pawls 28,-the teeth of the inlet valve 25 facing in the opposite direction to those of the exhaust valves 25. The upper half of the lookin pawls are pivoted on forked member 27 an held in a vertical position by means of spring 26 and stop 39. The upper half of the pawls are thus free to swing in one direction only, those pawls controllin the inlet valves 25 being free to swing 1n the opposite direction from the exhaust valve locking pawls. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inlet rotating valve 25 is held in locked position by means of pawl 27-28, engaging with ratchet tooth 34 while the piston is swinging in a clockwise direction, and as shown, is in the middle of the-suction stroke of compartment A. The external propelling pawl 32 is forty-five degrees from its recessed ratchet tooth 34, with which it will engage at the completion of the stroke, and carry the valve with it through a ninety degree swing in an anti-clockwise direction. Each valve, therefore, is rotated ninety degrees on every alternate swing or stroke of the piston, and isstationary on each intervening stroke. Calling each ninety degree swing of the piston a stroke, and numbering them 1, 2, 3 and'4, the inlet valves are locked on 'strokes 1 and'3 and rotate on strokes 2 and 4. Similarly, exhaust valves are locked on strokes 2 and 4 and rotate on strokes 1 and 3. Thus at each fourth stroke of the piston a valve of either an inlet or exhaust port is moved in proper position so that during the next stroke, the proper port opening in the piston passes over its corresponding slot or portin the valve, thus permitting the taking of the charge on the inlet side or a 'discharge of burned gases on the exhaust side.

As shown in Figurev 1 and before mentioned, the piston is designed to swing or oscillate on a 4horizontal axis through an angle of ninety degrees, its limiting 4positions being shown by full and by broken lines. When the piston is in the position shown by the full lines, compartments D and B are Atormed between the piston extensions 15 15' and the drum partition 2, and when the piston is moved to its other limiting position, as indicated by the broken lines, spaces of compartments A and C are formed. Spaces A, B, C and D corres nd to the clearance or compression spaces a ve the pistons of a reciprocating type of engine. t will thus be seen that the spaces being providedl with proper inlet and exhaust ports which are opened or closed by suitable valv at the proper timeand sequence, can be intermittently increased or decreased in volume by the rocking or oscillating motion of the piston, so that each space functions similar to the separate cylinder of a reciprocating engine successively going through the cycle of suction, compression, explosion and exhaust. Y

When, as shown by the arrow in Figure l, the piston swings from theposition indicated in broken lines to the position shown in the full lines, a vacuum is produced incompartment A, so that if its inlet port connected to a carburetor, is opened, the charge of explosive mixture will be drawn in. Slightly before the completion of the pistons swing or stroke, however, the inlet port must be closed so that ron the return swing of the piston the mixture is compressed into the space A. If, when the piston reaches its original or starting position,

an electric spark is caused to pass in the compartment,l an explosion will follow, which action against the piston extension 15 will force the piston to revolve through an angle of ninety degrees on the power' stroke ina clockwise direction. The return swing of the piston i'n an anti-clockwise direction will act as an exhaust stroke, so that the exhaust port being opened, the burned gases will be expelled and the cycle of operations are then repeated. It will thus be obvious that when compartment A is going through the cycle of suction, compression, explosion and exhaust, B is going through the cycle of compression, explosion, exhaust and suction', C', explosion, exhaust, suction and compression, and D, exhaust, suction, compressmn and ex lesion, the firing order in this case bein B, A and D. f

Due to the o li uity of the connectin rods 8 8', theywil not move through equa circular arcs at the same time at their lower ends, and as shown in Figuresw, 1l and 12, which show therocker arms at the be arms 12 12'.

aeeaeac diierence in travel of the two connecting rods and their respective gears may be compensated for by the insertion of eccentric discs 9 9', which are free to revolve in the upper circular extension .of cranks 8 8', and they areinserted between forked Pins 10--10' are passed through the outer ends ofthe arms'v12-12 and eccentric disc 9 9'. The power is thusV transmitted by one of the arms 12 12', as the case may be, on its downward swing. As shown in Figures 10, -11 and 12, arm 12' is swinging downward on the power stroke and arm 12 upward on the idle stroke as viewe from the rear end of the engine. On the down stroke ofl arm 12', center of pin-10', eccentric disc 9', and circular crank extension 8', are all in line, thus causing them to actv as a rigid member. upward stroke of arm 12,the difference in travel of crank 8 is compensated for by the shifting of eccentric disc9, as shown. This 0n the" action alternates between each arm 12- 12'l and their connecting media on each piston swing. .Y

The external moving parts may be lubricated by means of oil or grease cups properly placed. Lubrication ofthe internal sliding parts'may be accomplished in various ways, as for example, by the introduction of a suitable lubricant or oil into the interior ofthe hollow piston, and which will be thrown outward by centrifugal force, passing out of the piston lugs or extensions 15 15' through holes 24 which open between the piston ringsl or strips 13,' thus distributing the lubricant over the inner surface of the drum 1 where they come into sliding or rictional contact with the piston. Obviously an engine may be constructed with a casing havmg several drums or compertinents and an oscillating member in each compartment, the various sliding mem` bers or' pistons being all connected.

A Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence l do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact forni, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses men- Said oscillating member and extending radi- 1,49o,sao

ally inwardly to and contacting therewith to divide the drum into two semi-cylindrical chambers, said oscillating member provided with a radially outwardly extending wing in each chamber to contact with the inner peripheral wall of the drum and divide each chamber into two compartments, one on each side of each wing and provided with oil ducts through said wings, said drum provided with an inlet port and an exhaust port for each of its pair of compartments, a valve for each of-said ports, means for actuating said valves in a predetermined manner, a drive shaft, and means for operati-vel connecting said oscillating member an said shaft, whereby the shaft is rotated continuously in one direction upon the oscillation of said member.

2. In an internal combustion engine of the kind described and in combination, a cylindrical drum comprising -a plurality of like parts and means for securing said parts together, the end enclosures of said drum being integral therewith, an loscillating member arranged in said drum to have lts axis of oscillation coinciding with the drum axis,'

the oscillations thereof will rotate said shaft continuousl in one direction.

. 8. In a evice' of the kind described and 1n combination1 a cylindrical drum provided `w-ith end inclosures, a cylindrical shaped oscillating member arranged in said drum with its axis of oscillation coinciding with the axis of the drum, said drum provided with a partition at each side of said member extending to and contacting with the member and dividing the drum into two chambers, said oscillating piston member provided with an extended part in each chamber, and of a length to contact with the inner walls of the drum, and dividing each chamber into two compartments, said drum provided with an inlet port and an exhaust port foreach compartment, a valve for each of said ports, means for actuating said valves in a predetermined manner, ignition mechanism for each compartment, a drive shaft and means for operatively connecting said oscillating member and said shaft whereby the shaft is rotated upon the oscillation of said member, comprising a pair of arms operatively connected with said member, links eccentrically connected with said arms, crank arms connecting said links, gears connected with said crank arms and a main gear' mounted on said shaft and arranged to mesh with first mentioned gears.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD L. GROSS.

Witnesses:

Ror W. Him., CHARLES I. Conn. 

